Three Powers: Fate - Part One

     The morning of the adoption I woke up early before the sun had even touched Neopia Central. The hour of anticipation before the rest of the family got up was unbearable. My home sat in complete silence. Nothing stirred. All there was to do was wait. Finally the fateful hour came, just as the sun had kissed the tops of Neopia Central's shops. My owner came and we made our way out to the streets of Neopia. Anticipation was so thick in the air it weighed us down as we stepped towards the Adoption Center. But it was more than that. There was something else. I felt as if - no it was even more than a feeling... I knew something was about to happen.

     "Here are the pets for adoption," a Techo told us pointing towards a line of pets.

     "5tari, do you want go pick out your new sister?" Hu asked me quietly.

     I nodded making my way towards the pets. Slowly I made my way up the procession. I knew I would know when I saw my new sister. Then, there she was. Looking at me through large violet eyes I saw my sister. That was a day of fate.

     The weirdest thing though was that I could detect something different about Ashkinzy from the rest of the pound pets. Something, something led me up to her. It wasn't that she looked, or smelled better than the others. It's just... I have no idea why I went to pick her.

     *****

     (Ashkinzy's part)

     I'm not entirely sure when I was abandoned, or when I was actually living with a family, but I know I have been in the pound for a while. To me, the pound was my home. Dr. Death, a strict yellow Techo treated me like a father, and Rosetta, a carefree, slightly vain pink Uni, treated me as a daughter. It was fine with me, as long as I had the Techno and the Uni to look up to.

     I had been at the pound for years, in fact. But the weirdest thing was that there were a few potential owners, and Dr. Death halted them. Now, I don't want to go bad mouthing people, but it gave me a chill. Didn't they want me to leave this pound? I, being quiet and calm, didn't ask him what happened. I figure, maybe the potential owners weren't good enough for me? Or maybe he enjoyed my stay?

     One day was the day that I'll never forget even if Dr. Sloth tries to brainwash me. It was an ordinary day, I woke up, had breakfast, talked with some fellow pound pets, and I felt absurdly happy. I mean, I am a happy Neopet, but I felt unusually happy. I even gave one of the younger pets a slice of the delicious corn break that was served that morning.

     So I was lying in my cage, curling up in a ball, and I gazed around with my restless eyes until it reached a faerie Koi with a giggling girl who also had dark cherry red hair. The funny thing, as 5tari said earlier, is that we stared at each other at the same time. 5tari strolled over to my cage. We had this long, silent staring contest. At first, I didn't know what to expect of her. She was faerie Koi, so I assumed that she was from a very rich family. Then, in the corner of my brown eyes, I noticed the Koi's owner had been talking with Dr. Death who pointed at... my cage? I blinked, startled.

     The Techo's strange behavior gave me more reason for concern when the girl with the Koi asked for my paper work. The Techo's eyes darted too quickly for me to catch what he looked at and he shifted his weight uncomfortably.

     "Her paper work?" the girl prompted.

     After giving the faerie Koi another curious glance, he bent over and began rustling around in loose paper in a rusty grey drawer. Before giving her the papers, Dr. Death quickly said something that was too quiet for me to hear.

     Hu, as I had heard the girl's Koi call her, tapped one finger as she waited and then her eyes fell on me. For me time was suspended for that moment. A kind smile spread across her face. She had smiled at me? I froze, unsure what to do. Fortunately Hu turned back to the Techo with a worried expression at this moment because in confusion and wonder I found myself backing up against my cage shyly.

     "Don't worry," an unexpected voice told me a little above a whisper, "Hu's great!" The Faerie Koi smiled at me encouragingly and I weakly returned her. Everything was happening too quickly. I was confused - yet happy. Happier than I had ever been before. Or happier than I could remember being, I wasn't exactly sure which. I was actually going home this time. What home was I wasn't sure, but this was going to be it?

     "Home," I whispered quietly smiling inside. That word felt good.

     ***

     (5tari's part)

     On our way out of the Adoption Center I was dazed and confused but yet I had a sense of fulfilment. Things were starting to fall into place, everything changed. In a sense, it was a great thing, but I sometimes wonder what would have happened if we, Hu and I, didn't happen to come? What if I never agreed about getting a sibling after being the only pet for years? Would we still have led a normal life? I have no idea, but what I do know is that life would have that empty hollowness in me. Life would be... quite dull. It wouldn't be so full and exciting, if that makes any sense.

     ____________________________________________

     (third person view)

     "Welcome to your new home," Hu told the newest addition to the family as the front door swung open.

     Ashkinzy stood there dumbly for a second and then timidly began to step into the house. The questions that had buzzed in her head all afternoon subsided in an eerie quiet like the quiet that blanketed the Neohome she stood in.

     "I'll show you around," 5tari told me in the same quiet tone that everyone had been speaking in all day.

     Ashkinzy nodded and stammered, "O-okay."

     5tari watched her new sister step tenderly into the house. What if the Ixi didn't like her? Would they get along? What was this strange satisfied feeling she felt whenever she was near Ashkinzy? Was there something more to the pet than met the eye? Why did she feel like something, something inside her that she didn't recognized earlier, had been finally filled?

     While the questions had come to a sudden halt in Ashkinzy's head they did not stop pestering 5tari and the mystery of the situation would continue for days to come even after the pets became steadfast friends and loyal, loving sisters. More than one mystery had to be solved before the questions would be satiated.

     "The kitchen," 5tari said extending two fins as the three entered the first room.

     "This is my stop, I'm going to make you both lunch," Hu told the two. "Finish the tour, I know the house by now," she said with a smile.

     5tari took the lead, Ashkinzy following at a bit of a distance, and they made their way to the closest door.

     "The den," the Koi said and shut the door once more.

     "The dinning room," she continued as they stepped across the threshold to an open entrance.

     "My owner's study," 5tari informed her new sister entering another room.

     Opening another door she said, "My owner's bedroom."

     "My - well now our bedroom."

     Ashkinzy peered into the room at the end of the hallway. 'Our' she had said. The dark room contained two Fresh Bamboo Beds, a whitewashed dresser, a writing desk cluttered with odds and ends and some assorted posters.

     "We can stay in here until Hu makes lunch," 5tari told her.

     "Okay," Ashkinzy said again.

     *****

     The two pets sat on either bed looking at each other in silence for a while. Not a word passed between the two as the minutes slowly crept by.

     "So, how long were you in the Adoption Center?" 5tari asked conversationally.

     "I really don't remember anything before the pound, it's strange. I must have been there a long time," Ashkinzy replied.

     "Yeah, I guess so..." 5tari said.

     Two more minutes passed.

     "Lunch is ready!" Hu cried from the kitchen

     The sister's stood and made their way back into the kitchen.

     Lunch was eaten in the same manner. Hu had managed to cook up an omelette. Between bites Hu chirped a few words to both of her Neopets. Few words were exchanged between the other two and when they finished the girls returned to their room with a simple, "We'll be in our room," uttered from 5tari.

     More time passed.

     The seconds dragged along. Did they have nothing in common? Ashkinzy wondered. No, now she began to feel it, as 5tari had been experiencing all along. There was a connection a bound, something that drew them together...

To be continued...